Victoria Poon snares gold at Grand Prix

ORLANDO – Victoria Poon of Montreal highlighted a four-medal day for Canadians with gold in the women’s 100-metre freestyle on Saturday to conclude the U.S. Grand Prix swimming competition.

Poon was third at the turn but charged to the finish in the last 25 metres to pass two swimmers and win the gold in 55.20 seconds. Megan Romano of the U.S.

was second in 55.25 and Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of Bermuda third in 55.41.

“I tried to keep my head in my own race and not worry about the others,” said Poon, a two-time Olympian. “For me the finish to the race is always the most important part.”

Two other Canadians were in that final. Sandrine Mainville of Montreal was fourth in 55.64, Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., sixth and Hannah Riordan of Cornwall, Ont., eighth.

Open water world championship medallist Eric Hedlin of Victoria took the silver in the men’s 1500-m freestyle clocking 15:17.29. The race was won by Michael McBroom of the U.S., in 15:14.09. William Brothers of Victoria was fifth.

Hilary Caldwell of White Rock, B.C., also a medallist at last year’s worlds in Barcelona, added a silver in the women’s 200-m backstroke in 2:10.94. Britain’s Elizabeth Simmonds was first in 2:10.94. Dominique Bouchard of North Bay, Ont., was fourth.

It was a big night for 18-year-old Evan White of Oakville, Ont., who took the bronze in the 200-m individual medley for his first senior-level international medal. White finished in 2:03.13. David Verraszto of Hungary won in 2:01.90 and Michael Weiss of the U.S. was second in 2:02.40. Alec Page of Victoria was fifth.